No big shocker: XBO/Kinect built with ads in mind

http://www.vg247.com/2013/07/04/xbox-one-built-with-advertising-in-mind-kinect-integral-to-next-gen-adverts/

“With the new Xbox One, the technology and Kinect has improved a lot, so that actually the voice recognition, the way you speak to your Xbox and the transition between gaming and watching TV is a lot smoother, and hopefully we can transpire [sic] that into advertising that we do.”

I guess there's no big surprise here, it's still weird that they're so blatantly proud and vocal about how much advertising plays into it. As someone who sees no value in Kinect for myself personally, I just wish they would relent and offer up a non-Kinect version of the system. I don't want to be part of their advertising strategy, if you want to spam me with ads, do it like Alan Wake did it, with in-game battery brand placement.

"in mind" kinda makes it sound like they now planned to have them and it wont look like shit when they come up. Like it stated in that thing the 360 sort of had them tacked on and they where super disruptive.

If they are going to do ads at least they are trying to put up relevant stuff, like Giant Bomb does. Honestly most of the ads on XBM are for games or promotions where they have game sales brought to you by (insert ad here). There is only 1 small window that plays actual ads and its, labeled advertisement, which is easy enough to ignore.

Also I find it funny how because someone does not like Kinect they should not have it in there. I don't like the Kinect but that does not mean i'm so entitled that they need to remove it because it only needs to have things I like.

"I see you're naked. Just raise your arms to...no, wait, don't raise your arms, please god, don't raise your arms, say 'I need clothes' to receive offers from our various retail clothing partners."

@lexus2jz: Much like XBL Gold, I pay a subscription on Giantbomb. The difference is, by paying a subscription on Giantbomb, I don't see any ads at all.

So there's that.

That's true but look at what Giant Bomb's Subscription gets you and look at what XBL's subscription gets you. One clearly costs more money to run than the other, thus making advertisements another source or revenue to pay for the service that costs more to run. I would rather have XBM have 1 advertisement than go up in price, considering how easy it is to ignore the ad, it is not a mandatory ad that you have to watch. Also Giant Bomb puts their content other places besides Giant Bomb making them revenue other ways on the same content. There is a reason Sony has started charging for multi-player and that is because running these systems cost money.

@krakn3dfx: That alone made me move away from the new xbox. i used to pay for gold and all i got was ads and why do i need a gold subscription to view Youtube and netflix.

Do you think that's really why they wanted you to sign in every 24 hours? Gasp!

Have you guys seen the patent Microsoft filed in 2011 about using eye tracking and emotion detection to determine if users are looking at the tv during ads and how they feel about the ads they're viewing.

Also this sounds fucking annoying:

The Microsoft employee added that Nuads, “transform passive TV advertising into something interactive, immersive, and actionable, redefining the relationship between consumers and brands with amazing new advertising opportunities”.

They added, “On Xbox, the ad is part of the actual experience, it’s not something that is outside. The only difference is that the advertisement we have is quite small and not disruptive so people are not aware of clicking on the banners because they know this is a part of the whole experience on the dash.

The ad is part of the actual experience....that is a terrible thing...also they're kidding themselves and us if they think that a small ad isn't disruptive. What would be the point of putting the ad up there at all if it didn't grab peoples attention.

Ads on a console? What?!

Your getting a X1 right?

Only Microsoft consoles have ads within the actual console UI. Ads on the PS3 are contained within the PSN store. Wouldn't be surprised if this changes with the PS4 though.

That doesn't justify actions like Microsoft keeping other subscription services behind the Gold pay wall.

Only Microsoft provides next gen ads....

@andorski: @andorski:

Despite all the bad press I seriously still would because the 360 was my console of choice and I value my GamerTag way more than my PSN name - unfortunately I am currently working abroad outside the US and the Xbox One is not going to be released in the country I'm in. So I'm going to get a PS4 simply because thats the only choice I'll have.

@andorski I think the big difference here is that there is no actual "store" on the 360 dashboard. The whole thing is integrated so the ads are spaced out in each category. That said despite all the complaining from people about the new xbox dashboard the ads aren't that prevalent as some make them out to be. It is usually one small square in the bottom right corner - it's hardly intrusive but I can see how a deodorant ad all of a sudden can be an issue for people.

@humanity: I completely disagree. Every square on every page except the top left seems like some kind of an ad to me. Those small squares just have video attached. I think the 360 dashboard is nearly all ads except the top left square and it bugs me every time I log on.

Microsoft lost me when they forced the Kinect down my throat, and that their less powerful machine costs more.

Xbox NOPE.

That sucks. I am sure you saw my blog literly the day before the DRM flip and know I am gonna get the system as well. I sent you a PM with my Gamertag.

@spraynardtatum: Im sure PS4 will probably incorporate ads, I mean why not if the competitor is doing it as well and no one has really complained enough yet (they could do a GB thing where if you have plus the ads are not there/HEAVILY reduced).

Going by the thing you quoted previously with the ads being interactive and immersible, I remember maybe a month ago that Arrested development ad by netflix on GB which basically tore apart the website to show the AD orange and George Bluth walk in. That was fun and immersive

Microsoft was built with advertising in mind.

Never said it did. That was not what my post was about nor what this thread is about. It is about ads on XB1 be tailored to the user based on kinect.

Xbox does not even need to offer services like Netflix if they don't want to, so them putting it behind a pay wall is fine by me. Gamers don't even care about the TV TV Sports Sports shit they showed at their press conference so why does it matter? Also, if you can't afford the $5 a month for gold how are you going to afford the cots of Netflix alone not to mention other apps that are behind pay walls? This is just a gripe that you never actually see in real world applications. Here are all the steps you need to get to those apps behind a pay wall before gold even becomes a problem. A TV (Varies), an Xbox360 ($199), an hdmi cord ($5), internet service (min. $29 a month for like 3mbps), then comes those apps your are trying to access, Netflix ($8.00 a month), Hulu ect...... I think you get the point. By the time you add all that up if you barrier of entry is $5.00 a month you have bigger problems then not being able to get behind a cheap pay wall.

Gold is 10 a month.

So I have to pay $500, $60 a year for live, $60 (not counting DLC and microtransactions) for new games and I still have to watch ads? yeah no thanks. I've had enough of ads on the 360.

Oh alright, that actually made me laugh.

It's really strange to see them just come out and talk about how using their fancy new tech for advertising. That said the "them" is, after all, staffers from their ad division. So maybe it's not that strange.

Transpiring to make certain your console never gets purchased by me, eh Microsoft?

Most of what Microsoft has done with the Xbox brand has made some sense: pushing Kinect, showing off TV stuff, trying to push people towards purchasing digitally, etc.

But forcing tons of terrible advertising on people after they purchase the more expensive console? Who do they think wants to sign up for that?

If you split that hair any more finely, it might just disappear altogether.

Suddenly I think those "shout mcdonalds to make ads disappear" thing might actually be true.

And it would be awful and hilarious.

This should surprise no one. Corporation trying to maximize profit anyway they can. This is pretty mild as far as that goes.

"Kinect has noticed you are not paying attention to this full-screen advertisement. The advertisement has been paused for your convenience.

Please look at the screen to continue your ad.

I said look at the screen.

LOOK AT IT

Ads suck and nobody wants to see more of them, but look, its 2013. We are literally advertised to everywhere we go. We are advertised to so much that we don't even pay attention to ads anymore. We just automatically zone them out. Getting upset because the Xbox One is going to still have advertising on the dashboard seems like such a waste of time.

And yea, it is kind of bullshit that you still see ads if you're a gold member, but I compare it to still having to watch commercials even if you pay for cable.

Stand up and yell 'McDonalds' to skip the ad!

Oh wait, that was a Sony patent...

The MAN is trying to bring us down. FIGHT THE FUTURE!

@the_laughing_man: ...I pay $60 a year for gold, so I'm not sure how your math adds up.

Dollars to donuts Sony will have ads to. In fact they already do in the what's new thing. Get used to seeing them cause they're not going away.

if they detect your stomach growling during mcdonalds commercials they will show you more mcdonalds commercials in in-game advertisements. thats why kinect needs to be plugged in ALL THE TIME.

Wondering if everyone here who is saying: "well Sony is obviously going to have ads too now" are the same people that were saying: "Sony has no choice but to include always online DRM and limit used game sales."

:P

"Say McDonalds!"

"McDonalds!"

*Achievement Unlocked*

What if I don't pay for cable? Why would I pay money to watch restricted TV with ads when I can just watch whatever I want whenever I want without ads in high definition using the internet?

Hey, I wonder if I can apply that same line of thought to the xbox one?

The fact that this fits so well with the current Xbox One image is not a good thing

Gold is $59.99 for a 12 month subscription regularly. Just now when I search Amazon it is $48.59 for a 12 month sub which is $4.05 per month. Are you in a country other than United States?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=xbox%20live%20gold%2012%20month&sprefix=xbox+live+gol%2Caps%2C248&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Axbox%20live%20gold%2012%20month

Please elaborate on how i'm splitting hairs?

@lexus2jz: I must be miss remembering my bank statement.

I find it fucking ridiculous that on top of shelling out $500 for a system, plus $60 a year for a Gold subscription to play online plus $60 a pop whenever you buy a new release that we're going to still have to put up with ads on the One, and probably far more invasive ones than we've seen on the 360, thanks to the magic of mandatory Kinect. Give me a break, Microsoft.

@banefirelord: next gen ads

You've gotten a lot of use out of that video lately.

If it isn't a big shocker, than why the hell is everyone complaining? I have never found the ads on the Xbox 360 to be obstructive, and can never really wrap my head around how people think $59.99/year is enough to cover the amount of traffic the servers see everyday. Feels a lot like the exposure to the reality of how much games cost. People just don't know what they are talking about, but feel the need to display themselves as armchair experts. Until someone displays proof that Microsoft is unjustifiably charging us, and the ads are pure profit, than I really don't see how shouting at a wall is going to get us anywhere.